Hey, have had these lesions on my back for a while. I've had 3 rounds of steroid injections into them, but no changes. Question is, are these keloids or cystic acne? I'm looking to either try silicone patches (keloids) or AHA topicals (cystic acne). Which one do I have? I'd rather not do any more surgical procedures, way too expensive and I'm not too sure they will work.

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "The bumps indicate the body's level of antioxidants being low which is why it forms a keloids, that and the fact that the hair curls back to the skin causes the body to react negatively by attacking it, but often because the skin infects easily. That said, a topical mixture of natural vitamin E mixed with tea tree oil and perhaps some lavender oils and perhaps a small amount of aloe vera oil mixed should help the bumps.

The tea tree oil (terpinoids factions) kills the invading infection, lavender oil is anti inflammatory in nature, the vitamin E prevents formation of keloids by preventing the body's oil to harden, and the aloe vera oil accelerates the healing from the allantoin content.

A simpler remedy than that is just the lavender oil mixed in equal portions with natural vitamin E, as a natural vitamin E is a more powerful one than the use of tocopheryl acetate or other synthetic forms of vitamin E.

Topical application merely covers up the other condition of the body's low level of alkalinity, antioxidants (from vitamin E, carotenoids, an certain antioxidant minerals such as zinc, manganese, copper, molybdenum). Supplements of at least vitamin E 400 i.u. plus a natural vitamin A may help plus some zinc gluconate at the very least.

The topical application of just plain distilled vinegar to the area may also relieve some itching, if the keloids razor bumps are causing the problems of inflammation or itching.

The lemon and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NOT BAKING POWDER!) will help reduce calcification encourage circulation and reduce some razor bumps, the dose for that is usually one whole lime (8 teaspoon) plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water taken only 4 or 5 days out a week."